Major abdominal surgery for a number of diseases involving different parts of the gastro-intestinal and urinary tract can result in the patient being left with an abdominal stoma. The three most common types of abdominal stoma are the colostomy, the ileostomy, and the ileal conduit. In the case of an ileostomy, the ileal conduit, and many colostomy operations, the patient is unable to control the passage of bodily waste material and must rely upon an appliance attached to their body to collect this material.
Several systems are available for this purpose. The type of system employed varies according to the surgical procedure and the location of the stoma which determine the type and physical consistency of the waste material discharged through the stoma.
Colostomates whose discharge is of a solid consistency usually employ a disposable one or two-piece appliance. The term disposable refers to the fact that the waste collecting pouch portion of the appliance is disposed of after a single use. A closed end pouch sealed along all of its edges with only an opening for the stoma is suitable for this purpose.
Illeostomates and colostomates whose discharge is of a liquid consistency employ systems in which the waste collecting pouch has a bottom opening that permits the contents to be emptied and the pouch reused. Such pouches include some type of a closure means that seals the bottom opening while the pouch is collecting discharge from the stoma.
Several types of closure means have been developed. For example, Nolan in U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,534 discloses an open ended pouch having a closure consisting of a blade like wedge member and a U-shaped trough member. Riely in U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,320 and Burding in U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,282 disclose the use of micro hook and loop elements on the opposite sides of the bottom of the bag that are folded over to seal the bottom of the bag. Fenton in U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,005 discloses an open ended pouch having interlocking ribs and panels on opposite sides of the pouch. Elmore et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,109 and Brown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,606 disclose the use of a clamp to seal the open end of the pouch. Fenton in U.S. Pat. No. 2,818, 069 disclose the use of a snap type closure. Perry in U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,898 disclose the use of a rubber tube that seals the bottom of the pouch against a metal channel.